Promoting mechatronic art & sustainable energy in South Africa one g☼ggab☼t at a time
FREE SUNSHINE! is a public intervention consisting of a temporary electronics lab offering free solar-powered robotics workshops in South Africa, with the aim of spreading access to and an interest in electronics and art.
The project also raises awareness about sustainable energy and the current development in South Africa of legislation requiring citizens to register and pay for any small-scale energy generators such as solar power.
The workshops were hosted at KZNSA Gallery on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of June @ 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood.
Further workshops were run on the following Thursday with Ikamva Youth, as well as a rather impromptu series of workshops at the Life Hacking exhibition’s opening event, where the “lab” at the KZNSA Gallery became a hub of interactivity and making (not necessarily sticking to the curriculum however!).
A g☼ggab☼t is a small solar-powered robot. About 200 (most of them bristlebots, and some rolling bots) have been built in the workshops during ISEA 2018, Durban, and subsequently at Baleni Senior Secondary School, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.
noun
On the 26th of April 2018, The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) published a draft document of rules which aims to regulate small scale energy generators. The proposed rules would involve citizens having to register their generators, which includes renewable energy sources like solar power.
FREE SUNSHINE! would like to raise awareness around this issue, and use the swarm of g☼ggab☼ts made in the workshops as protestors against problematic energy regulation and service in South Africa.
In a space where easy access to electricity is already complex and problematic – sustainable, self-organised energy solutions are not promoted enough ( in fact, apparently, the opposite). In this context, the project aims to spark an excitement and an awareness of the tangibility of self-organisation regarding both renewable energy usage and learning / playing around with electronics and art making.
The project is driven by Miranda Moss and Oliver Walkhoff and is made possible with the support of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia.
Substantial contribution and support has been made by Uwe Schüler and Jördis Drawe of the Kulturgüter-Schuppen for the generous donation of the solar cells and the use of the “sun eater” circuit; Daniel Reichmuth for assistance in development and prototyping; Thulile Gamedze for research and content; the Swiss Mechatronic Art Society for inspiring the workshops and the use of the MechArtLab; R2 Manufacturing for consultation and for the assembly of g☼ggab☼t SMD PCBs and Pamella Dlungwana for translation.
Additional local support and assistance has been provided by The MakerSpace, Communica and The Printroom.
